The Red Phone ad

A rotating red phone is shown as a an announcer ominously pronounces, "The most awesome, powerful responsibility in the world lies in the hand that picks up this phone. The idea of an unsure, unsteady, untested hand is something to really think about. This is the issues of our times. On March 20, vote as if the future of the world is at stake. Mondale. This president will know what he's doing, and that's the difference between Gary Hart and Walter Mondale."

*** UPDATE ***NBC's Andrea Mitchell notes that Obama responded on camera to Clinton's ad. "We've seen these ads before, trying to play on people's fears, trying to scare up votes," Obama said. "But I don't think they'll work this time. The question is not about who will be picking up the phone. The question is what kind of judgment will you exercise when you answer the phone.

"We've had a red-phone moment. It was the decision to invade Iraq. Senator Clinton gave the wrong answer. George Bush gave the wrong answer. John McCain gave the wrong answer."

*** UPDATE 2 *** As NBC's Lauren Appelbaum points out, Roy Spence, who has been advising the Clinton campaign, was also the media advisor for the 1984 Mondale campaign, and helped to create the red-phone ad.

If Obama's the nominee, might the GOP go even further? As Politico's Ben Smith writes, "Indeed, a GOP media consultant who's made his share of red phone spots over the years e-mails that he found Clinton's a bit soft -- long on children, short on direct contrast."